Metrics details. For the elderly population living at home, the implementation of professional services tends to mitigate the effect of loss of autonomy and increases their quality of life. While helping in avoiding social isolation, home services could also be associated to different healthcare pathways. For elderly patients, Emergency Departments EDs are the main entrance to hospital where previous loss of autonomy is associated to worst hospital outcomes.
Part of elderly patients visiting EDs are still admitted to hospital for having difficulties coping at home without presenting any acute medical issue. There is a lack of data concerning elderly patients visiting EDs assisted by home services. A multicenter, prospective cohort study was performed in French EDs during a h period on March The primary objective was to assess the risk of mortality for patients assisted by professional home services vs. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality.
Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to test the association between professional home services and the primary endpoint. Multi variables logistic regressions were performed to assess secondary endpoints. Assisted patients had more investigations performed. Professional home services which assist one-third of elderly patients visiting EDs, were not associated to lower in-hospital mortality or to an increased admission rate.
Assisted patients were associated to a lower risk of being admitted for Β«having difficulties coping at homeΒ». Professional home services could result in avoiding some admissions and their corollary complications.
Peer Review reports. Elderly population experiencing loss of autonomy have limited access to ambulatory care and have an increased use of emergency departments EDs when an acute disease occurs [ 1 , 2 ].
